The objects described by the engineering viewpoint directly support research data management functionalities which are commonly shared among more than one RI (Identification and Citation, Curation, Cataloguing, Processing, and Provenance)
Footnote01,
Footnote02.
The engineering objects are grouped in the four top packages shown in the figure to the right: identification, catalogue, processing, and provenance, in line with the support needed for the four common data management functionalities. Two additional groups are defined to accommodate supporting objects which are needed for any working configuration: storage and data transfer. The objects included are defined as EV Object Types (Draft)#Basic Engineering Objects) and provide functionalities described by CV Objects, this means that each EV Object Types (Draft)#Basic Engineering Objects maps one to one to a CV Objects.
The grouping is not strict, these objects can be deployed side by side on a single physical machine or be distributed across network and institutional limits.
The engineering objects coupled with the Container Structure (Draft), are used to further define how the engineering objects can support the data management functionalities in different Object Configuration (Draft).
The definition of the basic engineering objects are given as follows. All of the definitions with the exception of pid manager and provenance service, are derived from the definitions of the corresponding computational viewpoint objects.
|
Engineering object groups |
annotation service
A basic engineering object that supports the ability associate annotations (free texts and semantic) with the assets managed by a research infrastructure. An annotation service must provide three functionalites: annotate data, update catalogues and update records
Annotation service functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| annotate data | Function for requesting the annotation (free text or semantic) of existing assets. This may require the creation of additional records to record qualitative observations, provenance or structured metadata. | server |
| update catalogues | Function for updating of annotation metadata and the associations to existing assets. |
client |
| update records | Function for updating of annotation records associated to assets. |
client |
Annotation service correspondences
| Viewpoint | Correspondence |
|---|---|
| Science | data annotation (behaviour) |
| Information | IV Information Objects#metadata catalogue (instance of object) |
| Computational | CV Service Objects#annotation_service |
catalogue service
A basic engineering object that supports the ability to publish and search collections of metadata (descriptive information) for assets such as data, services, and related information objects managed by a research infrastructure. A catalogue service must provide at least four functionalities: query catalougues, update catalogues, export metadata, and query resource.
Catalogue service functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| export metadata | function for gathering metadata to be exported with assets extracted from the data curation store objects (data stores). | server |
| query catalogues | function for querying assets held by the infrastructure, including the retrieval of assets associated with a given persistent identifier. | server |
| update catalogues | function for updating of catalogues and the associated data assets. |
server |
| invoke resource | function for enabling the invocation of other services such as harvesting, exporting data, or automated update. This includes the communication with internal components such as the data store controller for retrieving data. | client |
Catalogue service correspondences
| Viewpoint | Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | catalogue system (role) |
| Information | IV Information Objects#metadata catalogue(object) |
| Computational | CV Service Objects#catalogue_service |
coordination service
A basic engineering object that that supports the ability to coordinate data processing tasks on infrastructure execution resources. A coordination service should provide at least three functions: process request, coordinate process, create process controller, and prepare data transfer
Coordination service functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| process request | function for scheduling the execution of data processing tasks. This could require executing complex workflows involving many (parallel) sub-tasks. | server |
| coordinate process | function used to coordinate the execution of data processing tasks on execution resources presented by process controllers. | server |
| create process controller | function for creating and configuring the required process controllers required for the different processing tasks | internal |
| prepare data transfer | function used to retrieve data (and metadata) from the data stores and to return the processing results. | server |
Catalogue service correspondences
| Viewpoint | Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | data processing subsystem (role) coordinate service (behaviour) |
| Information | IV Information Action Types#process data (action) |
| Computational | CV Service Objects#coordination_service |
data exporter
A basic engineering object for exporting assets from the data stores. A data exporter should provide five functions: retrieve asset, update records, export metadata, export asset, deliver asset.
data exporter functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| retrieve asset | function provided to enable requesting data from a designated data store (inherited from data transporter). |
client |
| update records | function provided to inform downstream resources about impending asset transfers (inherited from data transporter). | client |
| export metadata | function provided for requesting any additional metadata associated with the asset being transferred. | client |
| export asset | function provided for extracting assets from a designated data store | consumer |
| deliver asset | function provided for delivery of assets to a designated data store. | producer |
data exporter correspondences
| Viewpoint | Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | data publishing subsystem (role) data use subsystem (role) |
| Computational | CV Component Objects#data_exporter |
data importer
A basic engineering object for importing assets into the data stores. A data importer should provide six functions: retrieve asset, update records, export metadata, export asset, deliver asset.
data importer functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| retrieve asset | function provided to enable requesting data from a designated data store (inherited from data transporter). |
client |
| update records | function provided to inform downstream resources about impending asset transfers (inherited from data transporter). | client |
| acquire identifier | function provided for requesting new persistent identifier to be associated with the data being transferred. Generally, identifiers are requested when importing new data into an infrastructure. | client |
| update catalogues | function for populating the catalogues with the metadata associated to the imported data assets. |
cllient |
| import asset | function provided for receiving assets from a designated data store | consumer |
| deliver asset | function provided for delivery of assets to a designated data store. | producer |
data importer correspondences
| Viewpoint | Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | data acquisition subsystem (role) data curation subsystem (role) |
| Computational | CV Component Objects#data_importer |
data store controller
A basic engineering object that encapsulates the functions required to store and maintain data assets managed by the RI. The data store controller also provides access to authorised agents. A data store controller should provide five functions: update records, query resoruce, retrieve data, import data, export data.
data store controller functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| update records | function for editing data records within a data store, as well as preparing ingestion of data streams. |
server |
| query resource | function for querying the data store. | server |
| retrieve data | functions to manage the retrieval of assets from a data store | server |
| import asset | function provided for receiving assets into a designated data store | consumer |
| export asset | function provided for extracting assets from a designated data store. | producer |
data store controller correspondences
| Viewpoint | Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | data curation subsystem (role) |
| Computational | CV Component Objects#data_store_controller |
data transfer service
A basic engineering object for managing the transfer of assets into and out-of the data stores. The data transfer service is responsible for setting up data transfers, including any repackaging of assets necessary prior to delivery.
data transfer service functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| prepare data transfer | function for managing and scheduling a data transfer either into or out of the data stores |
server |
| create transporter | function for creating and configuring the required data transporters ( raw data collector, data importer, or data exporter) | internal |
data transfer service correspondences
| Viewpoint | Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | data curation subsystem(role) |
| Computational | CV Service Objects#Data transfer service |
pid manager
A basic engineering object for managing the acquisition, registration, and maintenance of persistent identifiers for data assets. Persistent identifiers can be generated internally or externally. For assigning resolvable global unique identifiers, the pid manager commonly depends of an external CV Service Objects#pid_service. A pid manager should provide three functionalities: acquire identifier, manage identifier, and resolve identifier.
pid manager functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| acquire identifier | function for providing new persistent identifiers for assets |
server |
| manage identifier | function for retrieving, updating and deleting identifiers | server |
| resolve identifier | function for providing the physical location of an asset to authorised requester | server |
data transfer service correspondences
| Viewpoint | Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | PID Manager (role) |
| Information | assign unique identifier (action) |
| Computational | CV Component Objects#PID manager (object) |
process controller
A basic engineering object providing the functions required for using an execution resource (generically, any computing platform that can host some process) as part of a predefined workflow. A process controller should provide five functions:
process controller functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| coordinate process | function for controlling the execution resource associated with a given process |
server |
| retrieve results | functions for retrieving results from an execution resource | server |
| update records | provides functions for modifying data on an execution resource, including preparing the resource for the ingestion of bulk data streams | server |
| stage data | used to acquire streams of data from data store objects as part of some process. | consumer |
| export asset | function provided for retrieving the assets produced by some process | producer |
Catalogue service correspondences
Viewpoint |
Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | data processing subsystem (role) compose service(behaviour) |
| Information | process data (action) |
| Computational | CV Component Objects#process_controller |
provenance service
A basic engineering object that supports the ability to publish and search collections of provenance metadata for assets such as data, services, and related information objects managed by a research infrastructure. A provenance service is a specialisation of a catalogue service. A provenance service must provide at least four functionalities: query catalougues, update catalogues, export metadata, and query resource.
Provenance service functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| export metadata | function for gathering metadata to be exported with assets extracted from the data store objects. | server |
| query catalogues | function for querying assets held by the infrastructure, including the retrieval of assets associated with a given persistent identifier. | server |
| update catalogues | function for updating of catalogues and the associated data assets. |
server |
| invoke resource | function for enabling the invocation of other services such as harvesting, exporting data, or automated update. This includes the communication with internal components such as the data store controller for retrieving data. | client |
Catalogue service correspondences
Viewpoint |
Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | catalogue system (role) |
| Information | IV Information Action Types#track provenance (action) IV Information Objects#metadata catalogue (instance of object) |
| Computational | CV Service Objects#catalogue_service (instance of object) |
raw data collector
A basic engineering object to acquire, package, and transfer raw data produced by acquisition objects. A raw data collector should provide six functions: retrieve asset, update records, export metadata, export asset, deliver asset.
raw data collector functions
| Function | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| retrieve asset | function provided to enable requesting data from a designated data store (inherited from data transporter). |
client |
| update records | function provided to inform downstream resources about impending asset transfers (inherited from data transporter). | client |
| acquire identifier | function provided for requesting new persistent identifier to be associated with the data being transferred. Generally, identifiers are requested when importing new data into an infrastructure. | client |
| update catalogues | function for populating the catalogues with the metadata associated to the imported data assets. |
cllient |
| import asset | function provided for retrieving raw data from data acquisition objects | consumer |
| deliver asset | function provided for delivery of assets to a designated data store. | producer |
raw data collector correspondences
| Viewpoint | Corresponding Object |
|---|---|
| Science | data acquisition subsystem (role) data curation subsystem (role) |
| Computational | CV Component Objects#raw_data_collector |
RefFootnote01
ENVRIplus. (2016) Deliverable 5.1 A consistent characterisation of existing and planned RIs, ENVRI plus, 24/05/2016, Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement No 654182 http://www.envriplus.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/A-consistent-characterisation-of-RIs.pdf
RefFootnote02
ENVRIplus. (2017) Deliverable 8.3 Interoperable cataloging and harmonization for environmental RI projects: system design. ENVRI plus, 30/01/2017, Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement No 654182 http://www.envriplus.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/D8.3-Interoperable-cataloging-and-harmonization-for-environmental-RI-projects-system-design.pdf